Malacañang called on the Iglesia ni Cristo to wait for the resolution of the cases on alleged irregularities in flood control and other public works projects that have already been forwarded to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The religious group, through spokesperson Edwil Zabala in its NET 25 program “Sa Ganang Mamamayan,” earlier questioned what it described as the government’s lack of visible action more than three months after it held a “rally for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace” from Nov. 16 to 17, 2025.
In a statement on Friday evening, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the executive branch would allow the legal process to take its course.
“The Ombudsman and the DOJ have the other recommended cases. Let’s wait and see what their resolution is. That’s what is called the rule of law and due process,” Castro said in mixed Filipino and English in response to a statement issued by the INC.
In its statement, the INC said Filipinos were still waiting for concrete steps to address alleged large-scale corruption, including the supposed misuse of more than P1 trillion allocated for flood control and other infrastructure projects.
Castro, however, emphasized that once cases are filed before constitutionally mandated bodies, the executive branch must respect their independence.
The Ombudsman investigates and prosecutes public officials accused of wrongdoing, while the DOJ conducts preliminary investigations and prosecutes criminal cases in court.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will rely on strong evidence as its primary guide in the investigation of the purported cash delivery scheme involving former military personnel.
As chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, I haven’t changed my position about being led by evidence guided only by the prudent and logical way of treating any information that comes to my attention – evaluate and validate the credibility and reliability of both the source as well as the information itself before taking action,” he said.
Lacson issued the statement on Saturday in response to the call of the INC for accountability in the flood control corruption scandal, where Zabala noted the statements of 18 former military personnel who were presented at a press conference last Feb. 24 may have proven a cash delivery scheme involving ranking officials.
He emphasized his respect for the influential religious sect Iglesia ni Cristo and its stance on the matter, noting that differing opinions do not inherently equate to a lack of respect.
Lacson added he is forever grateful to it for supporting him in his senatorial bids in 2001, 2007 and 2016.
Earlier, Lacson noted at least two key areas that need further checking – the amount of P805 billion allegedly delivered in cash being mathematically irreconcilable with kickbacks admitted to be facilitated and received by other personalities; and the timing of the press conference on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the EDSA-1 revolt and in the middle of the International Criminal Court’s hearings in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
